Dismantle NNPC Board, CEO Of NNPC Must Come From Niger Delta – PANDEF Tells Tinubu

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s newly constituted board of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

Naijaonpoint reported that President Tinubu appointed Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NNPCL. Also appointed was Adedapo Segun as the company’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Other directors appointed include Bello Rabiu (North-West), Yusuf Usman (North-East), and Babs Omotowa (North-Central), Austin Avuru (South-South), David Ige (South-West), and Henry Obih (South-East).

Speaking with Arise News on Wednesday, PANDEF’s spokesman, Obiuwevbi Ominimini, accused the President of marginalizing the people of South-South.

He stated that crude oil production and gas flaring that sustain the country’s economy were largely done in the region, yet the President failed to consider the region in his appointment of NNPCL’s CEO.

PANDEF demanded that the President dismantle the current board he constituted and appoint a South-South person to head the NNPCL.

He added that Austin Avuru, who was given a non-executive position in the board, was qualified to head NNPCL.

His words: “At this moment, I want to state very categorically that the people of the South-South geopolitical zone, the region that produces oil and gas in the highest quantum in this country, has been thrown into sadness. In fact, we should have expected that Mr. President should have appointed the Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL from the region that bears the brunt of the oil production.

“So today, the entire South-South geopolitical zone has been taken back because we are treated like second-class citizens in a country where we contribute the resources that sustain Nigeria. You cannot constitute, recompose the NNPC board and give us a non-executive member. It is unfair. It is unjust. In fact, it negates the principle of equity.

“So we, PANDEF, are calling on President Tinubu to ensure that this composition he has done is dismantled and that the Chief Executive Officer of NNPC is appointed from South South geopolitical zone. We produce the oil. We bear the brunt of oil production.

“Today, it is only a country like Nigeria where you have gas flare penalty. And the gas flare penalty is not even used for the people of the region. So now that government is considering the increase in production of gas to raise it up to about 8 billion cubic feet and considering the production of crude oil to about 2 million barrels per day, it is necessary that the area that bears the brunt of the oil production should have the Chief Executive of NNPCL.

“Because when we are not there, those who are at the helm of affairs, they don’t consider the people of the region. Just imagine that we flare gas. This gas can be converted to domestic use. And our lifespan is shortened as a result of this gas flare. So we are not happy with the recomposition of this board where South-South geopolitical zone is giving a non-executive member.

“Even Mr. Austin Avuru that is appointed as a non-executive member is qualified to be the CEO. We have so many qualified people from Niger Delta that can be CEO of NNPCL.”